A Wi-Fi Router That Knows No Bounds

Netgear Orbi Voice

Anyone with a wi-fi router knows the struggle of signal strength, which can vary wildly from room to room. Not so with Netgear’s Orbi, a wi-fi system that uses “mesh” technology to ensure quality coverage throughout a home. Its main router beams an Internet signal to one or several satellite devices, which users place around their home; their gadgets then latch on to whichever signal is strongest in any given spot, ensuring blazing-fast speeds. Orbi’s latest satellite device, Orbi Voice ($430, including the wi-fi router), also doubles as an Alexa-enabled- smart speaker, enabling users to play music and control other compatible smart-home devices by voice command. —Alex Fitzpatrick